Images by wholesome_joy

[I need your help, instant pot folks]
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Over the weekend, I got down and dirty with my very first instant pot dish, ribs. I can not describe how blown away my brain is that I made them 30 minutes and that they fell off the bone. Feeding my obsessive behavior with a kitchen gadget, I turned to aimless Pinterest searching.
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“Oh my gosh, you can make a cheesecake!”
“Whoa! Someone made a spaghetti squash in 7 minutes!”
“Frozen Chicken takes 12 minutes, Mom!”
“Is that... is that popcorn!?”
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It WAS popcorn and it really wasn’t that exciting but it was in an Instant Pot so I had to be the 672,838th pinner!
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This is where YOU come in. WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITE INSTANT POT RECIPES!?
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What do you use it most for? I want to cook myself into I.P comfort by cooking through YOUR favorites!
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To start, I am taking @apinchofpride’s recommendation and going for @WholeKitchenSink’s Cashew Chicken.
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Don’t be shy, hit me! It’ll be like we’re eating together!

Calling all garlic lovers: This one is for you.
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40 Clove Chicken is a dinner party classic that never goes out of style. While the entire chicken makes for a pretty nice centerpiece, a gooey garlic delight ready in 30 minutes on a Wednesday is what I am talking about.
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If you love garlic, meal prepping, and easy protein recipes, you’re going to want to check out the link in my bio for the easiest 40 clove chicken, ever!

[Tail between legs]
Okay. Fine. I’m sold.
For two and a half years, I have resisted, declined, and absolutely refused to get down with the instant pot. Why? I honestly don’t know. Maybe it’s the rebel in me, maybe it’s the sweet husband voice in my brain saying “another kitchen gadget?”, or maybe it’s just because I’m silly.
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My Mother was gifted with an instant pot for Christmas and when we both fell to our immune systems last week, the grilling filled weekend my Dad planned didn’t make it past a link of sausage.
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Knowing a slab of ribs patiently waited in their fridge for attention ate at me all week. So, this morning I did it. I let out an “ughhh”, accompanied with a VERY dramatic eye roll, and plugged it in.
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Instant pot baby back ribs.
They took 40 minutes, prep to serve, and truly fall off the bone.
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Directions:
-Remove membrane from the back of the slab.
-Season with salt and pepper
-Brush meat side with about 1/4 cup of BBQ sauce (New Primal or Tessemae's for W30)
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Instant Pot:
-Manual
-Up arrow to 30
-Lid on with the release thingy to seal
When finished: Natural release for about 10 minutes with manual release thereafter.
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Oven finish:
-BBQ sauce the meat and broil for 7 minutes.
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What have you resisted to have/due, only to feel like a fool when you finally got “on board”?
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More about me: I finally turn corners slowly after replacing tires every year and half for years. I’m honked at a lot but those rubber babes are 4 years old and still touch Lincoln’s hair!

It’s not my favorite pho joint but I had everything already in the fridge which means it was pretty much free, right?
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Let’s talk pho.
Once upon a time, Caleb attempted to introduce pho to me. He had a legit experience at a restaurant in Dallas one drill weekend where no one spoke English and the gentlemen he was with, ordered for the entire table. Apparently it was a beautiful moment for him because when he came back, he vetoed all of my Mexican and Chili’s recommendations.
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We ended up at a local sushi place I love and low and behold, they not only knew what pho was, they had an assortment of flavors (🤷🏻‍♀️) to choose from! Well, he ordered, it came, and I watched him chow down on this dark beef noodle bowl slopping juice everywhere. Needless to say, I vowed never to partake.
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Flash forward to being invited to lunch without doing my research beforehand and showing up to pho, pho, and more pho.. I finally took my first sip. While I haven’t grown brave yet, chicken is right where I dream of bathing.
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When out, I like to order a large chicken pho without noodles. From there I pile in the basil, cilantro, jalapeños, and of course... that red pepper goodness.
Every. Last. Bit. I’ll lick the bowl, I have zero shame.
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Tonight, I boiled up this easy chicken pho using bone broth and chicken thighs that HAD to be cooked today. From there:
Onion
Garlic
Coriander
Salt
Pepper
A dash of cinnamon (I read this trick on a few sites)
Red boat fish sauce
Cilantro
And of course, zucchini noodles
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Never be afraid to play around with your spices. That’s the true art of cooking. Oh and if any of you have any say in the pho restaurant community- zucchini noodles are great! 😉

When my brother met my now SIL, Kara, she woke up my Cajun soul. I suppose a Tiger will do that to you.
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My Paleo Crawfish Étouffée was the most popular recipe shared and viewed last year on my blog which had me thinking that maybe you’re ready for crawfish season.
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You can easily swap out crawfish for shrimp, chicken, or any protein to your preference really.
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Direct link to the recipe is in my profile with plenty of room here below for you to let me know how you like it!
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Joie De Vivre, Cher!

If you’ve been with me for a minute, you know my deep rooted relationship with Mexican food. But, what you don’t know is that until I was around 18 years old, I lived on Queso Flameado (aka fundido).
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Queso flameado was my thing. It’s basically this block of white cheese, melted in butter, and lit on fire upon arriving to your table with 151. Then, you take the two spoons, play with the fire until it goes out, and stuff it in the incredible handmade tortilla with salsa. Shoot. I said I wasn’t going to tempt myself. 😬
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Well, when I began searching for answers regarding my “side pains”, I was given a diet recommendation that totally eliminated my first childhood love. From there, I switched over to tortilla soup with the sparing flameado. .
Nowadays, I am an all ceviche and fajita gal. I didn’t 📸 how I eat my fajitas but describing food is my ultimate hobby so here’s a down low tip for you: Whole30’rs, take note.
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Order fajitas with as many included vegetables as possible. There’s always 1 topped with cheese that you can ask to omit. Get that sizzling iron mixed with chicken and beef. Then... refresh your tables salsa.
Sit.
Wait.
Look around at all of the other eating people you have so much Mexican food love in common with.
When your food arrives, strategically place the sizzling meat at an angle to your left. Rotate the plate of guac and pico to your right, forming an arrow towards the tables jewel— chips and salsa. Place your plate in the center. Look at your canvas, it’s beautiful.
Pull a few meats away from the skillet and place them onto your empty plate. Top with fajita onions, peppers, and vegetables. Do you still hear the sizzle? Good. Top your meat mountain with a dollop of guacamole. Spoon pico over that green goodness. Then. It’s time. It’s time for you to claim your salsa. Move it somewhat near the center of the point ^. Spoon/pour it over that drool creating pile until there is no more air holes imaginable on that plate. .
Look at the others at your table. Take note of their aimless eating. Smile. Why? Because you. You just created glory. Then give yourself an evil laugh (optional) and eat your food!
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#KellyExplainsMexicanWays

You know, our bodies are pretty dang amazing.
I eat lunch around 11:30 everyday and before realizing it was lunch time, my stomach called out to me. On a busy day, I’m so thankful for the blood oiled machine I live in because man, where did the morning go!?
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What’s for lunch this Tuesday!?

In yesterday’s blog post, I looked back on the habits I lived by in 2017. Yes, as in two years ago. While the initial posting felt a little silly, I’m thankful for taking the time to analyze the habits I have kept, and let go.
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In analyzing my 2017 planner, I noticed my breakfast consistency. Eggs and asparagus, along with eggs and spinach, were clockwork. I truly ate my “three squares” and then in 2018, I don’t think I remembered what an egg was.
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While crop tops and super long straight hair is fabulously fun, I’m totally encouraging that “history to repeat itself” here. If you didn’t catch my blog post yesterday, you can by using the direct link in my bio! Who knows, maybe it will inspire you to think about all of your good habits throughout the years. #GoodVibesOnly
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Happy Monday, friend!

I’ve traded in my cookie ways for curry and it’s totally acceptable to call me a monster. The curry monster.
This weeks prep consisted of chicken, on chicken, on chicken. It’s been a while since I’ve found boneless, skinless, chicken thighs under $7.00 so I snatched two trays.
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This curry was an attempt to mimic the red curry from Thai Spice here in Houston. They include eggplant in their bowl of goodness which soothes my soul.
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Eggplant is one of my favorite vegetables, and possibly emojis 🙊 #sorrynotsorry , and when it makes its way onto the plate.... I could sing a song! If you’re scared of curry, I was too. I don’t know about any other color, or ones made without coconut milk but I’m sure one of you can teach me everything. Hey! Who has made the green one!? What does that taste like?
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This week’s Curry madness:
1 teaspoon coconut oil
1 pound chicken seasoned with salt and pep, cubed
1/4 yellow onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon fresh ginger
1-2 tablespoons Thai red curry paste
1 can full fat coconut milk
1/2 cup chicken bone broth (omit for a thick goodness)
1/4 eggplant, diced
1-2 shakes fish sauce
1 BIG ‘OL hand of fresh spinach (gotta get dem greens)
Red pepper flakes, optional
Cauliflower rice or roasted veggies (to serve)
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-Warm oil in a large skillet. Add chicken and brown both sides. Remove.
-Add onion, garlic, and ginger and sauté for about 3 minutes. Pour in coconut milk and reduce heat to a simmer. Add curry paste and whisk until the milk becomes a red broth. Add bone broth for a thinner consistency, if preferred.
-Return browned chicken to the skillet. Add the 🍆 , spinach, and season with fish sauce and red pepper flakes. Simmer for 10 minutes or until the spinach is wilted, the plant is to your preference, and the chicken is cooked through.
-Serve along side cauliflower rice, veggies, or REAL rice! 👀
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I like things spicy so I added a jalapeño on top, red chili paste, and cayenne pepper. I also turn my pho red with spice and eat boneless mango habanero wings without a flinch at BW3’s (is that still a thing or is it just “Buffalo Wild Wings?”).
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What else? What else can I do with my tiny jar of red curry? TEACH ME YOUR WAYS.

Saturday morning cup going down with TASTEBUDS!
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You know, I never really appreciated my nostrils and buds until they formed a union and boycotted the body business! Praise you sweet puffs tissues with lotion, YOU are the real MVP here.
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For those of you approaching the first lap of your #Whole30 , don’t forget to take a 5 second dance party to celebrate! I know you’re a few days out but you beasted a FRIDAY NIGHT and THAT is pretty darn awesome! So, take all of the mini dance parties you can during this round because hello... dancing is fun when you have a belly full of kale! 🙊
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Have a wonderful weekend, folks!

Christmas is the perfect time to liven up the kitchen by refreshing the old pot holders, beet stained cutting board, and near broken utensils.
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In the last 6 months, I have spent a lot of time in other’s kitchens. Today, on the blog, I am sharing 7 items that EVERY kitchen needs based on all of these experiences. Go ahead and feel free to forward to husbands, parents, and friends because nothing is quite as exciting as new wooden spoons in your stocking or fighting over in a game of white elephant.
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Direct link in bio!
For the sake of transparency: 📸 free from Adobe Spark. If I had a dollar every time I cried over an insta post’s kitchen/home... 🙈

What’s more fun than a friendly rivalry?
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There’s a lot of important days throughout the year, but nothing is nearly as important as the Saturday after Thanksgiving.
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Wishing you a happy Saturday game day! May your belly’s be full, your glasses never empty, and your team celebrating in victory!
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〽️🏈

Waking up this Saturday morning with my peppermint mocha creamer on my mind. Nothing screams “tis the season” quite like peppermint to me and I am ready!
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The best part is that you can whip this up on a Sunday and keep it in the fridge all week long for your morning cup of Jo! Direct link above in my bio! Merry Christmas!
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https://wholesome-joy.com/2017/11/24/peppermint-mocha-cream/

One of my favorite meal prepped protein is this Rosemary Dijon Chicken. It’s fantastic over an arugula salad, in a collard wrap, or simply as a sheet pan option with onions, potatoes, and broccoli.
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With the holidays here, I am going to be relying on head start ingredients much more to keep me from indulging. Between the holiday parties, the baked treats, and the leftover sides from gatherings, having something like this ready to go in the fridge is crucial for me.
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Head over to the blog for the full recipe and while you’re there, you can read my flavor heavy weekend that I’m still recouping from. Direct link above, or below. Stay warm, friends!
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https://wholesome-joy.com/2018/11/12/rosemary_dijon_chicken/

It’s Sunday, which means it’s prepping time!
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Taco meat will forever be my Hail Mary. Whether it’s ground meat in the freezer, or a prepared mixture waiting in the fridge, I know that having it on hand will keep me level on the craziest “crave all” evening.
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Taco meat is perfect for stuffed bell peppers, a mindless salad, a sweet potato filling, a Mexican inspired frittata or scramble, and the obvious... tacos!
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What is your quick and easy meal that you always keep on hand?

[Calling all 🧠s]
What do you know about this?
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This guy started growing a green onion(?) a few weeks ago and since, I’ve cheered it on! How long can you grow, little man!?
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But... Can I do anything with it? Can I plant it? Is this how green onions are born!?
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Be my google and please tell me everything you know! Thank you in advance!

Enjoying the start to a very extended weekend with coffee and breakfast on the couch and Sabrina the Teenage Witch (the original, not Netflix) on the tube!
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Breakfast has three rules when it comes to 🥓:
1. Never forget about your sizzling bacon.
2. When you do forget, be proud!
3. Apologize to the bacon and remember rule 1.
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Who needed a refresher of these rules? 🙋🏻‍♀️🙋🏻‍♀️ My poor bacon and my poor jaw for crunching away!
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Have a great day, friend!